June Wrap-Up

Hi everyone!

Welcome to my June wrap-up! Since I’m super behind on wrap-ups I won’t ramble too much in this intro. I read a total of 10 books, so let’s get into my mini-reviews/thoughts on them:

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have so many mixed emotions with this novel. I have settled on four stars for now, but this is probably more of a middle of the road book for me. Let me try to explain myself.

This is a NA-contemporary following Grace Porter as she gets married in Las Vegas to a total stranger, one crazy night. However, the story at its core is a coming of age, finding yourself and you path in life kind of story. If you are looking for an f-f romance you are probably going to be disappointed. This does feature a romance, and it is very sweet, but it’s not the focus of the book at all.

Now, I do want to say that the writing is really beautiful, the prose was gorgeous at some points, although there where other times that got a little bit on my nerves because I felt like it kept going on in circles. Which bring me to the negatives I had with this story: firstly, I was bored for the first half of the book. Bored out of my mind. Not even a beautiful prose could help me through those tedious pages about Grace’s stiff and dysfunctional relationship with her dad, and although her friends were super interesting, they weren’t explored enough. Secondly, I didn’t buy into the romance. Yury was manic pixie dream to the extreme, she never felt real to me, almost none of the characters did. This felt like a weird dream.

But, at the same time, the message of this story is so powerful, and I do believe there is beauty and power in quite stories like this one. I closed that final page with a content feeling and a smile on my face.

I honestly don’t know if any of this made any sense, please share your thoughts on this book if you’ve read it, I need to know if I’m alone on this one.

Heartstopper, Vol. 4 (Heartstopper #4) by Alice Oseman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the latest installment in the best graphic-novel series out there, if I do say so myself, about the sweetest boys Nick and Charlie as they navigate high-school, first love, friendships and in this particular installment, mental health issues as well.

It’s difficult to talk about this without spoiling the story since we are already so far ahead, but I do want to shine a light on the family relationships and the meaningful conversations they have between different family members. They made me tear up, that’s how beautiful they were.

Nick & Charlie by Alice Oseman ⭐⭐⭐

This is a little novella that takes place after the Heartstopper graphic-novels, and after the novel Solitaire, which follows Tori (Nick’s older sister). It’s a glimpse into the future these two love birds will have, and also tackles some issues that you might wander if you are reading the graphic-novel series, like what will happen when Nick goes off to college? So if you are interested in learning about that and don’t mind being a bit spoiled, I really recommend this little novella.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’ve been meaning to pick-up this YA-contemporary since it came out last year and I’m so happy I finally got to it. First of all, that cover is stunning. Probably the most beautiful cover I’ve ever seen in my life, and the inside matches the outside.

Felix was such a lovable character, who is given the freedom to make mistakes, question and be a teenager in all its glory messy and I loved every second of it. They way he navigates friendships and love was so pure.

This is one of those stories I wish I could put in every teen’s hands. Not only is the questioning rep so important, but the message of how everybody deserves to be loved is so beautiful.

The writing was also incredible. I was engaged from the very beginning, there isn’t a dull moment. I cannot recommend you guys read this masterpiece if you haven’t already

When Tara Met Farah (Bollywood Drama and Dance Society #1) by Tara Pammi ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This NA-contemporary features the best f-f relationship I’ve ever read. I want to scream that from the rooftops, because especially in the new-adult and adult romance genre, the f-f relationships I’ve encountered are lacklaster. And as someone who is in an f-f relationship, I cannot tell you how disappointing that statement is. This one on the other hand, worked so well for me.

We have opposites-attract and forced-proximity tropes. We have two nerdy heroines, one of them in stem. We have steamy scenes, funny scenes, adorable and tender moments. It has absolutely everything I could ask for and I need more stories like this one!

Miss Meteor by Tehlor Kay Mejia and Anna-Marie McLemore ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another YA-contemporary, this time with a hint of magical-realism. This was the first time I picked up a full-length novel by Anna-Marie McLemore, and I’ve been meaning to read from her since forever, and I have to say that this only has made me even more excited to read her backlist.

I absolutely loved this story. Both of the main characters will steal your heart from the moment you meet them. I loved how well-developed they both were, how much of a role their families played in but especially, I adored seeing how they slowly rekindle the friendship they once have. And that’s something this story focuses on: friendship.

The magical-realism elements were to die for, the romances were super adorable and we have amazing rep in here. All in all, a wonderful read.

Barbarian Honeymoon 1, 2, 3 by Ruby Dixon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am putting these three little short stories together because they are so short and to the point, that I don’t have much to say about them. They each follow the alrady established couple from each of the first books in the series, and they show some steamy and sweet scenes from their relationships.

I loveeee the couples in this series, so I loved spending more time with them and getting another chance to read about them, so if you also like Ice Planet Barbarians, I really recommend these stories. They are all available con KU as well.

Preacher Man by Jessa Kane ⭐⭐⭐

Here we have another Jessa Kane romance novella that I’ve been devouring this year. I have to be completely honest and say that I don’t really remember the specifics of this one that well. I do remember having a passionate heroine and a very possessive hero, with an amazing instant-attraction and some very hot scenes in a locker room.

The Pitcher’s Asisstant by Jessa Kane ⭐⭐

This one I clearly remember not enjoying that much. The fact that the hero was a priest added a layer of taboo that I was really looking forward to reading about, but I didn’t like the execution of it. We also have a huge age-gap and something about it didn’t sit right with me.

If you are looking for a priest romance I would highly suggest Priest by Sierra Simone instead.

Learn my Lesson (Wicked Villains #2) by Katee Robert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the second book in the romance series Wicked Villains. In here we are following Hades, the king of the Underworld (a sex club), Meg (his second hand woman) and Hercules, who Hades uses to get revenge on Zeus. We have an m-w-m romance that you are not going to be able to stop reading about. I absolutely adored the dynamic these three had going on. Meg and Hades already had an established relationship once the story begins, but it is fractured and adding Hercules into the mix heals them so much.

This also includes some BDSM elements and we get glimpses of the characters we already love from Desperate Measures, and a tase of what the next story, Worthy Opponent is going to tackle (Tinkerbell and Hook’s story cannot come soon enough).

Theirs For the Night (Twisted Hearts #1) by Katee Robert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a prequel novella following the three main characters of this series: Meg, a struggling college student who goes out one night to evade herself. Theo, the charming, exiled prince of Thalania, and Galen, his broody, serious and sexy body-guard. What follows in this prequel is a passionate night between the three of them with one of the steamiest m-w-m romances I’ve ever read.

Forever Theirs (Twisted Hearts #2) by Katee Robert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is technically the first full-length novel following the three of them as they try to stay alive, since someone from Thalania is trying to get Theo killed, all while being on the run, trying to prove Theo’s innocence and navigating a poly-relationship.

The dynamic these three have was so incredibly sexy. Theo and Galen are so hot together, they’ve known each other since they were children, they’ve been best friends since they can remember and since they are constantly on the run, they are used to being together. They have the sort of relationship in which they are able to communicate with just looks. With Meg on the mix, this already amazing relationship is taken to the next level.

Meg has a super easy going relationship with Theo, they bicker and flirt like crazy and you can see how much attraction they have going on. But Meg and Galen’s relationship, oh my God. They are both stubborn and kind of grumpy and although their solo interactions in this installment are few and far between, the chemistry they have is soooo palpable. However, the wey they work together, all three of them, it was unmatched by any of the couple relationships I’ve mentioned.

Theirs Ever After (Twisted Hearts #3) by Katee Robert ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is the last book in the duology, which is sad because these characters are so well crafted and have such an amazing chemistry that I would have read five more novels about them.

In here they are facing new struggles, which I can’t give much detail about because of spoilers, but Galen and Meg are forced to spend more time together and we get that relationship development between the two that we were hinted at in the previous book and it was so, so good. Katee Robert is also really great at building tension, and the wey it blows up always pays off.

An incredible conclusion to an unexpected new favorite series.

Consolation Gifts by Chencia C. Higgins ⭐⭐’5

This is an f-m-f little novella in which we are following our heroine when she finds out that her partner is cheating on her, on her birthday. She gets furious and goes to confront the woman, only to find out that she’s in an open relationship and had the impression that so was she and her partner. To get back to him, she decides to have some steamy fun with this couple. It was really short, I couldn’t form any meaningful connections with anyone, but it was a good time, so three stars. Solid.

How has been your summer so far? Have you read any of these books? let me know!

Until next time,

Leyre